The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1887-09-06
IFor the AsEsYille Clr1zEE.
AN, AsHEvILLE MkN'S TRIP
THRouGH THE UNTAiNs.


I will ask but small space to briefly give
an account of a trip eaade through
the mountains. About two months since
my wife and / started by private convey
ance, going first to Breg ard and visiting
places of interest in and lbout the place,
and as far as South as Emsar's Head,
looking particularly at ths fine lands on
French Broad River and tributaries and
almost everywhere finding excellent
crops of corn, oats, &c, and yet OCCASION
ally meeting with 8 acroaker, comp planning
first of drouth and then pf wet weather;
and like the restless ocean. never satis-
fed. Brevard seems 6t-omed to dis
appointment on all sides. Rail road pro-
iects trampled in the Rest, and river
navigation thus far q q failure, but
yErily belieS very f.r
ils 10 NJ y fsIeik- -StSe q : Leh Dead will be
successfully navigated from this, place to
Brevard; and if I were aacitizen of that
place or county I should earnestly strive
for its speedy consummation. What the
people of Transylvania need is hearty CO.
operation and union TN which there is
strength" say, for the present, the best
policy is to drop and discard al railroad
notions, and 60 heart and hand for
.,
that with united effort it would prove a
success and lift theAwhole county from
the slough of (despond. Cheerless
neighbors, there is bright and good
time coming.
From BreYard we went up through the
French Broad Valley tc Hogback where
we tarried with Mrs. Goldsmith, wife Of
our popular SIyer and Goldsmith, formerly
with Mr.. Cowan. Here vas induced
to wet the hook and try my lSck for trout,
and in two hours caught five that would
have weighed five pounds; but We lovers
of the sport, let me tell you, was in the
ring and knew exactly where to fish.
Leaving Hogback, we vent on to CASH
ier's Valley where, though disappointed
in the general appearance of the country,
of which had drawn in Imagination too
beautiful a picture, yet SO delighted were
we that we tarried several days, stopping
with Jovial gentleman, Riley Hooper;
and let me advise my dyspeptic friends
if you want to forget your miserable
stomachs for awhile, go to Riley Hoop
er's, and be sure to get Riley to hoop you
before he commences his jokes, for if
you don't, you will haveno buttons left.
Riley can depend on my vote. From
Hooper's we went to Highlands where,
We were so fortunate as to obtain board
with Mrs. Davis; and let me here say if
any of my readers go to Highlands, don't
try to better Mrs. Davis, for you will fail
if you undertake it. Her house IL kept
as neat as a pin, and her table always
laden with the very best. No better
cooking can be found in the State, and
such potatoes; Nova Scotia cannot excel or
even equal. They have the finest and
Il lal, T
count of the peculiar climate of these
expectations. 1t is pretty little town
with broad streets and coy, neat cottages,
built for convenience ara capaf9<t, most.
ly settled by Northern and Western peo-
pie that know how to work and are not
ashamed to do it, and presents to a
stranger at :irst sight the appearance of
thrift, and cleanliness. The soil in this
part of the county is generally poor, but
seems well adapted to grass, small grain
crops and fruits. AS much as I love
Asheville and her mounts ain scenery, 1
am constrained to admit that the scenery
here and hereabouts, easy of access, sur
passes anything l ever beheld. | went
with party on Satulah only one mile
distant from town, and such a scene as
was spread out before me | can find no
words adequate to express, transcendantlyl
grand and sublime, causing ore 10 fee as
if in the immediate presence of the Great
l AN. The man whose soul is not stirred
to its very depths at such sight and is
not led up through nature to niture's
God is only fit for treason, stratagems
and spoils." Near Highlands cluster the
greatest variety of wild mountain seen
cry, water fslls, cascades, sc. cannot
leave this subject without returning my
thanks to many citizens whose acquain
lance it was my pleasure to make, and
whose kindness and attention l shall not
soon forget, and must make personal
of that whole soul, big hearted
man, S. T. Kelsey, the founderand build
er of this town, and to whom Highlands
is deeply indebted for its present Thrift
and solid growth. Mr.. Kelsey is man
between fifty and sixty years of age, his
head showing the frosts of many winters.
but his spirits as buoyant as boy, and
his energy and patience know no bounds.
noon and night you will find
him always ready to do you a favor ami
to make strangers feel at home; self.
sacrificing, obliging, kind and social.
May Highlands neverSbe deprive of his
citizex ship, until the Master calls for
him, and may he go down to his grave
''as shock of corn in its season." fully
ripe and in the enjoyment of his bright
est hopes and anticipations of his beauti-
full town.
But am reminded that space in your
widely circulated paper is valuable, and
ruust be brief, omitting much would
like to say. From Highlands We went to
Franklin about which 1 cannot write ex-
cept to say it is the sine qua non. Next
we went to Havesville, Clay county,
passing over Nantahala and Tusquittee
mountains and up the valley of Tusqnit
tee river, which is charming indeed, and
in which crops of corn, grass and small
grain are abundant. Hayesville is beau
fiful for situation, the joy of the whole
country, in no direction can you look
without having before you grand PAN
Drama, of mountain and valley scenery.
The lands of Clay county are good, easily
titled and productive, always returning
to the farmers qltid pro quo for labor
expended Her citizens are generally
intelligent, kind, attentive to strangers,
and hospitable to tkeir own hurt. found
in IIayesville large and well conducted
school, good church privileges, we'll
appreciated by her law abiding and quiet
citizens. Good Sunday Schools well
attended by bothyoung and old. l have
never met more kind and clever people
IN my life; and if they had little more
push and town pride might make Hayes
Vile lovely and very desirable place of
residence. With town incorporated tif
not already donel sidewalks and streets
fixed up, hogs excluded that now wallow
about the. streets, and which would be
positively unendurable but for Buster
wbo seerns to hatasthenl as much as do,